Buying diseased woodland

[renewablejohn]

With the current epidemic of various diseases affecting lots of different tree species is now the time to stand on the side lines and keep your hands in your pockets or would you if you had the cash splash out on a cheap woodland knowing that even if it has no disease at present there is a real chance it would be infected within the next 10 years. I am asking because over 1000 acres of Sitka Spruce has just come onto the market in the Brecon Beacons at a reasonable price but as disease is spreading from the south would it be wiser to buy in Scotland instead.

[chestnut]

hmm - interesting question

 

this response is purely speculative - and really me babbling out aloud

 

i can look at this from two monetary perspectives

 

you could take a punt on cheap woodland - which is currently virus free - and just hope that it stays that way - but if it does become infected and the whole lot has to be cleared - what would that area of land be worth then? and what would you do with it? and how much would that cost? etc etc what impact will mass woodland clearing have on the local / rural economy?

if the cheap woodland stays virus free - would it hold it's value or increase it?

 

how are the prices comparing/differing - from scotland, wales southern regions? is it more expensive in scotland? are the prices rising up north?

 

if you think that the highlands might miss any viral spread - then an investment north of the border might be seen as canny and could be financially rewarding - in a worst cause scenario, assuming that the loss of woodland in the south totally devastates the rural landscape and the islands timber industry etc etc - any woodland areas free from any virus could possibly have more worth - or would it?

 

if the spread of viral infections could potentially wipe out thousands of hectares of mainland forests/woodlands - and if there was no way of stopping it - and if i really really wanted to own a substantial chunk of woodland - then i think i would be tempted to buy in an area that had no signs of virus - like somewhere abroad - preferably with nice weather

[hplp]

From the title of the thread I thought that you were going to be looking to buy a jap larch woodland......

 

In all honesty I wouldnt see a problem with buying a spruce woodland. The viability would be more of a financial cost benefit analysis with considerations towards markets and site conditions. Im not sure what virus you are considering for spruce?

 

 

1k acres is a fair size. What age and yield class is it mostly?

 

H

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

When you find a nice ancient woodland with over mature trees with no timber value let me know!

[renewablejohn]

 

 

1k acres is a fair size. What age and yield class is it mostly?

 

H

 

Age 1977 Class 14-16 DBH of 26cm

[hplp]

Well you'd be looking at some sort of harvesting operation soon I would have thought at a guess. Either a thinning or clearfell.

 

This might have a large bearing on the money being asked.

 

H

[firewoodman]

the biomass boys may well out bid you on that one with so much of it going to the local powerstations down here

 

but good luck if you do go for it

[renewablejohn]

the biomass boys may well out bid you on that one with so much of it going to the local powerstations down here

 

but good luck if you do go for it

 

I would be one of the biomass boys thats why I am looking at it. It equates to a 500kwe CHP plant on a sustainable basis.

[treebloke]

I am asking because over 1000 acres of Sitka Spruce has just come onto the market in the Brecon Beacons at a reasonable price but as disease is spreading from the south would it be wiser to buy in Scotland instead.

 

£1,350,000 not that cheap.

 

What about if we had a forum get together and all put a few grand each.

[renewablejohn]

£1,350,000 not that cheap.

 

What about if we had a forum get together and all put a few grand each.

 

Compared to 3-5k per acre in Lancashire its very cheap.

 

I can just imagine it all meet on site and bring a chainsaw but realistically you would only need 1000 people to chip in £1350 each and they could all have over 1 acre each. Looking from a practical point of view thats only 15 cube of logs.

Edited November 6, 2010 by renewablejohn